Many bands soften their sound as they progress, chasing more commercial routes. Not so for the experimental collective, Miranda Sex Garden, who followed up their goth rock album Suspiria with this absolute barnstormer. Fairytales Of Slavery, released in 1994, was co-produced by Einsturzende Neubauten’s Alexander Hacke. The band had toured with them, and some ofContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Miranda Sex Garden- Fairytales Of Slavery”
Category Archives: Review
The Peel Sessions: PJ Harvey
John Peel was the first DJ (as was so often the case) to play PJ Harvey, and she recorded some of his favourite sessions for him over the years. The compilation -from 1991, to his untimely passing in 2004- has some of her best work, completely raw and unadorned. There’s a cheeky cover of theContinue reading “The Peel Sessions: PJ Harvey”
Film Review: An Honest Liar (2014)
Who said you can’t kid a kidder? Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom’s fantastic documentary charts the fascinating life and history of James Randi, born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge in 1928, Toronto, who became “The Amazing Randi”, magician, escapologist and latterly, debunker of psychics, fake mystics and charlatans everywhere. This lovingly crafted film traces the riseContinue reading “Film Review: An Honest Liar (2014)”
Film Review: Stardust (2020)
So says David Bowie, or rather Johnny Flynn in his role as (kind of) the late icon in Gabriel Range’s film from 2020. This line seems to be an in -joke,or even some kind of justification. This film is baaaad. It’s not cringey, watch -through -fingers, campy bad, it’s simply lazy bad. Flynn portrays aContinue reading “Film Review: Stardust (2020)”
Lost In Music: A Certain Ratio- 1982
Already one of the finest albums of tthe year, A Certain Ratio ‘s 1982 is a series of neon squiggly graffiti lines – not least because it references Jean Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol in ‘Samo’ , an old school funky jam named after Basquiat’s graffiti tag. But that very specific nod to the 80sContinue reading “Lost In Music: A Certain Ratio- 1982”
Album Review: Lana Del Rabies- Strega Beata
A stately, cinematic slab of music, Lana Del Rabies ‘ new album, her third, lies somewhere between the early brutality of Swans and the eerie, gothic neo-classical experimentation of Dead Can Dance. It’s absolutely heady, erotic and hypnotic. Sometimes, it’s a thunderstorm, sometimes a soft caress. Tracks like ‘Mother ‘ and ‘Master’ feel like miniContinue reading “Album Review: Lana Del Rabies- Strega Beata”
Lost In Music: Christeene- Midnite Fukk Train
Louisiana -raised Paul Soileau, aka Christeene, is normally best experienced live, as the live artist is wilfully provocative. She’ll krump on punters, pull things from out of her ass and push you into the void. So her music often gets sidelinedJ. Not so with her third album, Midnite Fukk Train. It stands on its ownContinue reading “Lost In Music: Christeene- Midnite Fukk Train”
Film Review: Moonage Daydream
There is a shot of David Bowie travelling on an escalator in Japan which seems to sum up the otherworldly aesthetic of this unique film – he seems to float like an angel. Eschewing the usual cliches of talking heads, song clips and cultural commentary, Brett Morgen’s vibrant visual patchwork is more like a PopContinue reading “Film Review: Moonage Daydream”
Edinburgh Festival Review: Pain and I (Audio)
Sarah Hopfinger’s Pain and I is an incredible piece, accessible to all, as it’s both a live dance performance and online auditory piece. Hopfinger’s audio piece, featuring gorgeous string arrangements from Alicia Jane Turner, is at once personal tone poem and mantra. Charting her long struggle with neurological pain and back pain, Hopfinger’s words areContinue reading “Edinburgh Festival Review: Pain and I (Audio)”
Album Review: Superorganism – World Wide Pop
Perfect pop often tightropes precariously between euphoria and melancholy. So it is with Superorganism, the London- based, globally sourced pop act. Orono Noguchi’s sweet youthful vocals can be soulfully sad, joyful or snarky and cynical. It’s all anchored by quirky textures, samples and grooves. Like a Lego kit, the band thrives on building little empiresContinue reading “Album Review: Superorganism – World Wide Pop”
Hit The North 